Metal Construction News, August 2016

KNOW YOUR PRODUCTS Choose the Correct Snow Guard System for your Project By Clint Funderburk Evaluating various snow retention sizes shapes attachment methods material designs and colors Twenty five plus years ago you could have counted the number of major snow guard manufacturers suppliers on one hand Fast forward to today and there are 20 plus major manufacturers suppliers The products offered range in various sizes shapes attachment methods materials designs and color options So how do you choose the right snow guard system for your project And why are these options so important Lets focus on some of the key points to navigate through all of your choices Snow Retentions Purpose The key purpose of a snow retention system is to hold and retain snow ice on the roof and allow a controlled evacuation of the snow which will help protect your assets and decrease your liability A properly designed and installed system will retain the snow on the roof and prevent damage to gutters signage lighting landscaping canopies awning and vehicles and most importantly of all people Architects and contractors are incorporating snow retention systems in the original design of new construction projects but there is still a great amount of buildings that do not have snow retention Also re roof projects that did not originally have a system in place may now need one Did the roof slope change Was the roof material changed from asphalt shingle to metal A metal roof will be a much slicker surface compared to asphalt shingle so snow and ice will slide off that was not happening before Attachment Methods How the snow guard system attaches to the roof is crucial in the selection process There are plastic metal individual pad style snow guards that have to be glued to the roof panel in which the glue will have a certain holding strength that is less than a mechanically attached option There are clamps on snow guards that attach to the standing seam ribs and use set screws to mechanically attach This attachment method yields the strongest holding strength of the non penetrating methods Furthermore there are screw down brackets for the widely popular exposed fastener roof panels Most of the roof panel manufacturers prefer the clamp on snow guards due to the non penetrating attachment and not interfering with the roof panel warranty The glues used to attach the individual glue on can have adverse effect on the Kynar paint that carries a 20 year warranty It is best to check with the roof panel manufacturer before making your decision Materials Plastic extruded aluminum stainless steel brass and cast aluminum are available material choices The best option is extruded aluminum stainless steel or brass for copper roofs systems Over time plastic and cast aluminum will become brittle and break or fracture Aluminum stainless steel and brass systems will have a longer life span equal to or greater than the metal roof itself There have been independent studies proving that metal roofs last 40 plus years longer than other roofing materials Design Snow guard systems that mechanically attach are proven to be stronger than glue on snow guard systems A majority of the time a single row of a mechanically attached system can be installed at the eave of the roof compared to multiple rows of glue on plastic snow guards due to the holding strengths and having to spread the load across and up the roof Will one row of a continuous mechanically attached system cost more than multiple rows of a plastic snow guard system Typically not when you factor in all of the criteria cost of components and installation time Most all of the snow guard manufacturers suppliers offer design calculators and design assistance Use this service to correctly design your system If a manufacturer supplier does not offer this service it is best to move on to another Also ask for their independent test results Continuous versus Individual There is an ongoing debate of which is better a continuous bar system that runs the full length of the building or staggering individual snow guards across and up the slope of the roof When installed correctly per the manufacturers installation instructions both systems can function properly holding and retaining snow and ice However there is the overall look that is trying to be achieved from an architectural stand point During the non winter months what look is acceptable A continuous row above the gutter or individual staggered snow guards Color Options Multiple years ago the technology of color matching snow guards to the roof panels significantly enhanced the overall look Systems can be painted or powder coated to match Some systems are designed to accept a strip of Kynar coated roofing material The Kynar strip insert is the superior option due to it will weather over time the same as the roofing material it is being installed on However there are times when a non painted system better fits the look that is trying to be achieved Clint Funderburk is the vice president of marketing of LMCurbs Longview Texas To learn more visit www lmcurbs com A dual rod snow retention system Snow retention systems hold and retain snow ice on the roof and allow a controlled evacuation of the snow www metalconstructionnews com 28 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS August 2016

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